Compost, as every gardener knows, is essential for a thriving food garden. Making enough is often the problem people face. This post is about making easy compost everywhere.
Easy compost everywhere
To overcome the problem of not being able to keep making enough compost, I have designed my garden to have compost systems everywhere. Making easy compost in-situ directly nourishes the soil and reduces the heavy lifting of carting compost around (on my slope, this is important. I popped a calf muscle once – ouch!!).
Why compost?
I create compost all around my garden. It does many things, such as:
- provide nutrients to help the plants thrive
- improve the soil structure
- provide food for the living soil organisms
- help to absorb moisture in the soil
- feed the mycelium which act as root extenders `
Diversity of easy compost systems
Having a diversity of systems means they are more likely to be maintained and integrated. It also builds resilience into your soil improvement strategy. If one system is full, or slowed in winter, there are other systems in place. The diversity also gives you a chance to have different types of systems operating in different parts of the garden. For example, I use worm towers in my keyhole vegetable beds, compost tractors in my intensive orchard, green manures in broad beds and chop and drop, and compost trenches in the food forest and so on.
Free Monthly Online Permaculture Masterclass
Every month I offer a free online permaculture masterclass. In August 2018, I presented this session on 5 Ways to Compost In-situ. It is all about how to make easy compost. Please feel free to share this post and masterclass, and I look forward to seeing you at the next session on September 24th all about how to design your garden for healthy happy chickens.
In this masterclass below, I’ll explore how to simply:
- create more compost
- regenerate your garden soil
- maintain healthy vibrant soil
In the session I explore 5 of my favourite ways to compost in-situ. Many people ask me how to make composting less work and less strain on the back. I show you how to rely less on turning compost bays and wheelbarrowing it around the garden to low maintenance yet effective strategies to get your garden soil thriving.
Here’s a few of my other related posts and films I think you might find useful.
- Worm Towers
- Compost Simply
- Compost your coffee
- Are teabags toxic and can I compost them?
- Bokashi
- Compost in a week with azolla
- Comfrey
- Comfrey Tea
- No-dig garden
Permaculture Educators’ Program
Have you ever wanted to be a permaculture teacher. Learn online at your own pace through the Permaculture Education Institute. To find out more, click the image.